Vote for UEFA.com users' Team of the Year 2014
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
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There are 16 first-time nominees included in the UEFA.com users' Team of the Year 2014 poll – choose your preferred formation and vote for your XI before 6 January.
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Voting is open for the UEFA.com users' Team of the Year 2014 poll, with 16 first-time nominees vying for selection alongside stalwarts such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Philipp Lahm.
In all, 40 players have been chosen by UEFA.com staff writers on the basis of their performances for a European club or national side in 2014. UEFA.com users will have until 13.00CET on 6 January to cast their vote, with the final lineup to be announced on 9 January on UEFA.com, and included in the January edition of Champions Matchday, the official UEFA Champions League magazine.
• This is the 14th Team of the Year; more than 6.3 million votes were cast last time out.
• Users can pick their formation from four goalkeepers, 12 defenders, 12 midfielders and 12 forwards.
• Twelve players involved in the 2014 UEFA Champions League final are in contention.
• Fourteen clubs appear on the list from seven different leagues, with 19 nationalities represented.
• UEFA will once again set aside €100,000 for a player voted into the team to present to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Goalkeepers
Beto (Sevilla FC): Aged 32, the oldest first-time nominee.
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus): Aged 36, the oldest player in contention.
Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea FC): Nominated for a second successive year.
Manuel Neuer (FC Bayern München): Last year made the final XI at the fourth time of asking.
Defenders
David Alaba (FC Bayern München): Last year became the first Austrian to feature.
Medhi Benatia (FC Bayern München): The only Moroccan in the vote.
Jérôme Boateng (FC Bayern München): One of nine Bayern players in the field.
Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid CF): One of six Spanish players to figure.
Ezequiel Garay (FC Zenit): The sole nominee currently based in Russia.
Diego Godín (Club Atlético de Madrid): The only Uruguayan player in the vote.
Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund): A fourth straight nomination for the German international.
Vincent Kompany (Manchester City FC): Yet to get into the team despite three previous nominations.
Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München): Received the most votes last year.
Miranda (Club Atlético de Madrid): One of four Atlético players involved.
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid CF): Looking to make a third successive Team of the Year.
Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City FC): One of four Argentines to be nominated.
Midfielders
Xabi Alonso (FC Bayern München): His third nomination, the first coming in 2003.
Arda Turan (Club Atlético de Madrid): The single Turkish representative.
Ángel Di María (Manchester United FC): Only nominee not in a 2014/15 UEFA club competition.
James Rodríguez (Real Madrid CF): First Colombian since Radamel Falcao in the vote.
Koke (Club Atlético de Madrid): A first appearance at this stage for the 22-year-old.
Toni Kroos (Real Madrid CF): The Germany midfielder makes his debut in the selection process.
Luka Modrić (Real Madrid CF): First nomination since 2011.
Paul Pogba (Juventus): Aged 21, the youngest of this year's nominees.
Ivan Rakitić (FC Barcelona): One of two Croatian national teamers in the list.
Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund): On the shortlist for a third year running.
Arjen Robben (FC Bayern München): The solitary Dutch representative.
Yaya Touré (Manchester City FC): Yet to make the final team despite four previous nominations.
Forwards
Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal FC): The one Chilean vying for selection.
Gareth Bale (Real Madrid CF): Wales's hopes rest on Bale's shoulders.
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid CF): A first inclusion since 2008.
Diego Costa (Chelsea FC): A second straight nomination for the Spain striker.
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Paris Saint-Germain): The only nominee presently playing in France.
Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern München): The one Polish contender.
Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona): Missed the final cut in 2013, his first absence since 2007.
Thomas Müller (FC Bayern München): Yet to land a place in the team despite two previous nominations.
Neymar (FC Barcelona): One of three Brazilians in the vote.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF): Nominated for a record 11th successive year.
Jonatan Soriano (FC Salzburg): The sole nominee plying his trade in Austria.
Carlos Tévez (Juventus): A first inclusion since 2010.
The UEFA.com users' Team of the Year is not intended to rival more established awards and does not bear the official UEFA imprimatur. For full details of the nominees and to place your vote, visit our dedicated UEFA.com users' Team of the Year section.